Better Ways To Improve Your Resume

To make sure your resume is keeping up and will stay current into 2019, review our lists of 6 dos and four don’ts below.

6 Ways to Improve Your Resume

To keep your resume current in 2019, be sure to follow this advice:

Put the most important information first. Anyone scanning your resume will start at the top but won’t keep reading (or scanning) unless the information at the top is intriguing.

Swap out your “objective” to pitch why you’re the best person for the job instead. Your resume is your sales tool. You’re using it to sell yourself as a potential candidate and get an interview.

Focus on your results, not your responsibilities. Do you have numbers or other proof points? Did you win an award or other recognition for an accomplishment? Include specific data about your performance at past jobs.

Use a title that matches the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job as an AWS solutions architect, use that with your name instead of something generic like “IT Professional.”

Polish your LinkedIn profile and photo, and include the link in your contact information. Almost all recruiters (96%) use social media to look for qualified candidates, with LinkedIn used by 87 percent. Although they are using social media to look for candidates, chances are they will also turn to social media to learn more about someone who has applied.

Only include relevant experience. Anyone looking at your resume is scanning, not reading, and you must make sure all the information you include is relevant so they keep scanning.

Two Things to Leave Out

In addition to the ways to improve your resume, also follow this advice for what to leave out:

Leave out personal information such as your height, weight, date of birth, marital status, hobbies, and religion. It’s just clutter.

Avoid including details about work experiences which are not related to your current role or the role you’re seeking. For example, you may have started out as a cook, but now work in IT. Mentioning your cooking experience adds clutter but not credibility. Nikita